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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/25544836">A Best Friend's Love</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/pjowithbluecookies/pseuds/pjowithbluecookies'>pjowithbluecookies</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Hunger Games Series - All Media Types, Percy Jackson and the Olympians - Rick Riordan</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Alternate Universe - Hunger Games Setting, Angst, Annabeth is badass, F/M, Friends to Lovers, Gen, Hunger Games, Major character death - Freeform, Violence, again it's the hunger games, but i mean it's the hunger games what do you expect, covers the entire triology, i mean kinda, i suck at tagging someone help, no mythology au, slight Annabeth Chase/Finnick Odaire, somewhat dark!percy</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-07-27</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-07-27</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-05 10:09:07</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Mature</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>4</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>10,300</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/25544836</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/pjowithbluecookies/pseuds/pjowithbluecookies</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>As thirteen-year-olds living in the districts of Panem, Percy Jackson and Annabeth Chase are just trying to survive. Percy, a small pickpocket off the streets of District 5, has only wanted a life of peace while Annabeth, a rising genius, always wanted something more. But all that got thrown out the window when Annabeth was chosen to compete in the 67th Hunger Games. </p><p>Percy and Annabeth have to navigate through a life of violence, politics, love, and rebellion - after all, the Hunger Games don't end when you manage to leave the arena.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Annabeth Chase/Percy Jackson, Katniss Everdeen/Peeta Mellark</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>8</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>37</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Chapter 1</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Percy Jackson raced through the slums of District 5, slamming against the backs of people before running off again with a single “sorry!” thrown behind him. Many who had seen the boy grow up just shook their heads disappointedly at his antics, perhaps with a small sigh of resignation, before continuing on their day. Peacekeepers who lingered throughout the crowd tightened their hold on their guns as the small blur of black hair rushed past, their narrowed eyes betraying their slight thoughts of suspicion before he rushed out of sight. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>What they didn’t see was that when the boy pulled into a small alleyway and tucked himself behind a small cranny, he pulled out a fist full of stolen goods. Several bills were wadded inside Percy’s hand along with a silver chain that looped around his fingers in a tangled manner. When he shook his hand free of the chain, he noticed a small opalescent gem swinging back and forth in his grip, attached to the thin chain. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>With a grin, Percy stuffed it inside his pocket as he began to count the money that he had earned today. For a pickpocket, Reaping Day was the best day to go out into the concrete jungle of District 5. Many rushed around to present gifts or food to a young family member as a wish of good luck before sending them off to a possible inevitable death. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>While Percy mostly inhabited the slums for his pickpocketing escapades, he had learned how to target the richer people who could take a little dent to their Capital given wealth. On Reaping Day, some decide to show their faces to the lower part of the district to possibly spend their money at some pawn shops where there was an interesting trinket catching their eye. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Percy almost yelled out in disbelief as he held fifty dollars in his hand, the most that he had managed to swipe in months. </span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>This can cover me for almost three months! </span>
  </em>
  <span>Percy thought giddily before something was knocked over, resounding through the alleyway with a loud clatter. His hand snapped back to his pocket where he cautiously slipped his money out of sight. His head pounded with anxiety before he shifted his position to observe the noise. Determining that there was no one there, he swiftly stood up and made his way into the fast-moving crowds with only a slight paranoid glance back towards his alley. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>In District 5, being the only district to provide power for the entire country (of course, a majority of the power goes directly to the Capital), everyone has something to do and everyone has somewhere to be. He glanced up at the high rising tenements, each window sagging and almost all of the walls crumbling beyond repair and swept his gaze out to the power plants. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Unlike the slums of the city, the power plants were brimming with energy - each flaring a brilliant hue of a different vibrant color. They were beautiful to the residents of District 5, as the majority of working citizens slaved over them, but they were not loved. Within the district, they only represented the Capital’s hold over them and the loss of their own people.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Percy snapped himself out of his own thoughts before observing the dull-colored crowd surrounding him, almost everyone in the district was too poor to buy colored clothing which made the wealthy stand out even more against the gray clothed majority. Deciding it was better to keep what he had already stolen and not risk it all by tempting fate, he turned against the crowd and began to head to his favorite place in the entire country. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>As he continued walking, the crowd began to thin as he was walking directly into the heart of the worst area of the entire district. Since Percy has lived in this entire area his whole life, he knew almost all of it like the back of his hand. The tenement buildings began to grow shorter and they appeared older, the ashen walls slumping in defeat as it crumbled a little bit more when something is so much as dropped. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>This was one of the first civilian areas of this district, and it was one of the only areas in the district to get affected by the Rebellion. Thrown into such a state of disarray the mayor of the district had originally decided to condemn the entire place and leave it to rot, causing the poorest of the poor to gravitate towards the area. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Percy stuck to the shadows, knowing that, in a place that was crawling with thieves and small gangs, anyone could sniff out the valuables that he carried. He smoothly stepped around the debris and traveled through an old suburban neighborhood that had been bombed to hell nearly 70 years before. He kept his eyes sharp and his stride confident, making sure to maintain a level of outward confidence that told most of the residents that he belonged there. And he does. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>A shadow fell over Percy, and he glanced up to see the most haphazard building of all. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The old power plants.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Bombed to oblivion by rebels to cut off the Capital’s power, the building was rendered to become a large pile of rubble. It was beyond dangerous to venture into there (not to mention illegal) with the continuously crumbling debris and the hidden (but active) grenades that precariously stayed within the rubble, only for one small slip to set it off. To prevent others from going into ruins, the district had ordered an electric fence to be put up around it, only for an explosion to be set off during the construction. And, District 5, deciding that it was more trouble than it's worth, never finished installing the fence. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>So, seeing as it was dangerous, illegal, and downright stupid to go in there, Percy promptly climbed over the fence and trudged through the ruins. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Took you long enough, Seaweed Brain,” a voice sounded toward his left. Percy tensed for a second in surprise before recognizing the voice and relaxing. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Got a bit held up, Wise Girl,” he replied smoothly with a lazy grin as he turned to face his best friend. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Annabeth Chase was sitting up on the roof of one of the only remaining structures left from the old power plant site. She had her legs dangling idly in the air while gazing down at him with a hint of a smile on her face. “Held up with what?” she asked challengingly. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Percy held up the wad of cash. “With this,” he answered as a shit-eating grin covered his face. Annabeth’s eyes widened in disbelief as she stared at the money before focusing on his face again.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What are you waiting for?” She demanded. “Get up here.” With that, Percy slipped the money back into his pocket before climbing over the rubble and slipping into the building before pulling himself up onto the roof through an open window on the second story. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>As soon as he got on the roof, Annabeth walked up to him and held out her hand, a clear implication to hand over the money for her to inspect. Percy slapped the money in her hand, not wanting to argue, before settling down the roof ledge. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>At this height, he could feel the occasional soft breeze, and he leaned back to enjoy the sun and breeze while he could.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Fifty dollars?!” Annabeth exclaimed not even a second after she was handed the money. Percy turned to face her, his playful glare directed at her as if to say </span>
  <em>
    <span>how dare you doubt my abilities? </span>
  </em>
  <span>“This is enough to cover-”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“-almost three months,” Percy finished. Catching Annabeth’s slightly surprised and amused expression, he said, “Hey, if not anything else, I know my money.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh, I’m sure,” Annabeth laughed. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What’s that supposed to mean?” Percy whined with a badly concealed smile.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You know what it’s supposed to mean,” she teased. Percy scoffed before returning his gaze down at the money.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“This money could help the orphanage a lot,” Percy whispered, his eyes flickering back up to Annabeth’s now sympathetic face. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I know,” she began, “but you need to think of yourself too, Percy. Those factories barely pay you anything.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah, I know,” he mumbled as he gently grabbed the money from Annabeth’s hands. He began to move his hands away, but Annabeth grabbed them and placed them on her lap. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Percy, please take care of yourself,” she pleaded gently. “If something happens to me-”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Percy roughly pulled his hands away from hers. “We’re not having this conversation again.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Listen to me,” Annabeth started. Percy began to move away before Annabeth grabbed his arm to hold him still. A pair of gray eyes met green, and Percy realized he couldn’t look away from Annabeth’s heated glare. “If I get Reaped, or my stepmother does something-”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You know how to handle your stepmother,” Percy interrupted but Annabeth continued over him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“-you have </span>
  <em>
    <span>got </span>
  </em>
  <span>to take care of yourself. Pay for your food and water, continue pickpocketing - just don’t give up,” Annabeth said with finality. Percy shifted uncomfortably and turned his eyes back to his hands. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You aren’t going to get picked,” he finally said, a fire of stubbornness blazing in his eyes. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Annabeth rolled her eyes at him. “You don’t know that.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What if I’m picked instead of you?” Percy asked heatedly.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Not likely,” Annabeth shot back. “I applied for more tesserae this year-”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Why did you do that?” Percy interrupted indignantly.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <em>
    <span>Because</span>
  </em>
  <span>,” Annabeth again rolled her eyes like it was common sense, “I can’t support myself on child’s wages and my family cut me off from our food and water.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I know that,” Percy bit back his increasing fear, “but I can steal double-”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You’ll get caught eventually!” Annabeth yelled out, anger blazing in her steely eyes.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It’s a risk I’m willing to take!” Percy bit back with just as much vigor. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Risk what? Your life?” She snapped.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No one would miss me!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“And you think people would miss me?” They were both standing now, their hands balled into fists with tears gathered in their eyes. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“We could tag team it-” He began to suggest.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh, that’s a great idea,” she interrupted. “Instead of one of us getting caught, you’ll throw us both right into the Peacekeepers’ arms!” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Do you really have that little faith in us?” he countered. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yes,” she said simply before looking away. “I do.” A minute of tense silence passed before Annabeth checked her watch. “We need to start leaving for the Reaping,” she said simply with no venom or heat, just a factual numbness, as she began to leave the room. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Annabeth.” She didn’t turn around and kept walking. “Annabeth,” Percy pleaded and he jogged up to her, the gravel skidding under his feet as he began sliding towards the edge. He fell backward, but his momentum thrust him forward over the ledge where the two-story drop with the stony debris that would surely kill him. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Just as he was about to fall over the edge of the building, Annabeth’s arm snatched out to pull him back. Percy looked towards Annabeth, expecting to see her calculating and cold gaze meet his own, but she still wouldn’t look at him. “You’re an idiot,” she flatly said and stiffly let go of his arm. Then she continued her trek off the roof. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Percy felt fear pool into his stomach as he saw her continue to walk away with him, and he could see her biting back tears just as he was. He could feel the necklace burning in his pocket while the person that he had meant to give it to began to walk away from him. “Annabeth,” he tried again, grabbing the necklace from his pocket, the gemstone glittering brilliantly in the sunlight. She still didn’t turn around. Percy made a grab for her arm before spinning her around and holding her in place in front of him. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Seeing her expression, tearful yet burning with unresolved anger, made his own tears spill over as he hung his head while the tears dripped down his face. “I just don’t want to lose you,” he whispered to her. “You’re all I have left, and you’re my best friend. I just-” his voice caught on the emotions that he struggled to control. “I wouldn’t know what to do without you.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Annabeth let out a strangled noise, something between a sob and a laugh as she asked, “Do you think I want to lose you?” Percy released his hold on her and looked up, their faces both tear-stained and their previous anger forgotten. “You’re my best friend too, Seaweed Brain.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Percy nodded in agreement, his eyes misting up once more before he lifted up the silver necklace. “I, uh, got this for you,” his eyes darted around and his cheeks warmed before he handed it to Annabeth. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh, Percy,” she let out a watery laugh. “It’s beautiful.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I figured that you could wear something nice to the Reaping and I thought it would look really prett- uh, nice with your eyes and-” his nervous rambling was cut off by Annabeth abruptly hugging him with the silver necklace clutched in her hand. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The two thirteen-year-olds stood in an awkward embrace before Annabeth stepped back and turned away from him to get off the roof. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Come on, Seaweed Brain,” she called out over her shoulder. “Unless you want to be late for the Reaping we have to bust our asses to get there.” Percy grinned as he caught up to her and noticed, with slight irritation, that Annabeth was in fact taller than him even though they were the same age.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>They climbed down from the building and began their trek back to the central area of the city. Percy, being the graceful thirteen-year-old he is, managed to step on an unsecured piece of debris and his legs flew out from underneath him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Son of a bitch,” he swore as he struggled to get up.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Annabeth laughed at him. “Graceful,” she noted dryly. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Shut up,” he grumbled with a slight smile on his face. “You know,” he began once the two started walking across the bombed wasteland again, “I think you’re a bad influence on me.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Annabeth glanced at him, her face full of skepticism, “Oh, really?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah,” Percy nodded sagely. “I would never go in here before I met you… I wouldn’t even go near the fence with a ten-foot pole.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Annabeth snorted. “You were such a wuss when you were eight.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Percy gaped, offended for his eight-year-old self. “Excuse you,” he retorted. “I was the right amount of cautious after… everything,” he finished awkwardly. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well,” Annabeth tried to salvage the conversation to avoid talking about </span>
  <em>
    <span>that. </span>
  </em>
  <span>“I </span>
  <em>
    <span>did </span>
  </em>
  <span>meet you when you were trying to pickpocket me, but, sure,” she nodded with another laugh. “Cautious.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>They had finally managed to reach the fence when Annabeth swore. “We need to make it there in five minutes.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Percy quirked an eyebrow, his eyes full of playfulness. “Wanna race?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Annabeth only shook her head but began to scale the fence as her answer. The two sprinted down the slums of the district, the streets empty as everyone was at the mandatory Reaping. Luckily, Percy knew multiple risky shortcuts that managed to get them there on time. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>They both got into their different lines. Thirteen-year-old females for Annabeth, thirteen-year-old males for Percy. When they were safely in line, Percy took a glance at Annabeth’s line to spot her struggling to get the necklace on before she turned to the girl behind her in frustration to ask for help. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Percy grinned, happy to see her wear something she gave him even though she had almost no interest in jewelry. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>As the lines began to narrow down, he finally got to the desk where they had Peacekeeper’s check you in. Remembering the process from last year, he offered them a thumb to prick before they checked that he was really him with a “Perseus Jackson, male, thirteen?” With a brisk nod from him, they ushered the next one in the line-up. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Percy was just glad he wasn’t the last one.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Finally, the different sections of the different age groups filled up and he caught Annabeth’s eye. She gave him a discreet thumbs-up that he gladly returned with a pair of finger guns. A gunshot sounded.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The Reaping has begun. </span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Chapter 2</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>And everything comes crashing down.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Annabeth stood among the suffocating crowds of the children of District 5, the heat began to rise as the amount of people pressed against each other rose with it. All in all, Annabeth could confidently say that it was an uncomfortable situation even without the threat of a possible bloody (and, for the Capital, entertaining) death looming over each of their heads. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>To quell the rising fear, Annabeth observed the number of children in each group as the Mayor began to monotonically recite the required speech. There were hundreds, if not thousands, of children staring up at him, some tensed and unnerved, some resigned and tired, and others who definitely looked like they wanted to throw up. Annabeth wouldn’t blame them if they did. </span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>You couldn’t be picked, </span>
  </em>
  <span>she insisted to herself, </span>
  <em>
    <span>with the number of names placed within the Reaping plus the number of children applying for tesserae it would be highly, highly unlikely that you would be chosen. </span>
  </em>
  <span>She continued to study the girls around her, many looked slightly starved and scared - most likely the ones that applied for additional tesserae like her - while others looked well-fed and restless. District 5’s poor were still suffering from one of the largest famine’s the district has ever gone through especially with all the salary cuts that had occurred to keep the power plants up and running. And, while District 5 was not considered one of the poorer districts by a long shot, many children had applied for tesserae to support their families. </span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Or themselves, </span>
  </em>
  <span>Annabeth thought bitterly, </span>
  <em>
    <span>like me… or Percy. </span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>She spared a glance at the section that Percy was contained in, and she could proudly say that he stuck out like a sore thumb in the sea of blonde-haired, pale-eyed children of District 5. It made it much easier to identify him throughout the hustling crowds of the city, and his unique looks were rather ironic to Annabeth. No one was able to contain Percy Jackson, even throughout his childhood, and it seemed like being a rebel was in his blood - and his inability to be contained by the district’s forced normality was nicely complimented by his features. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Finally, the mayor had finished with his monotone speech that seemed, as they had heard it every year of their lives, to put people to sleep, their Hunger Games escort from the Capital stepped onto the podium. She introduced the living District 5 Victors. Annabeth tried to ignore the pang of grief she felt when she saw Thalia Grace confidently walk across the stage with a brief wave out to the crowd. Followed by her, Clarisse La Rue and Christopher Rodriguez stumbled across the stage with Clarisse’s infamous scowl and Chris’s easygoing smile. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“This year we’ll start with the boys,” Drew Tanaka, their </span>
  <em>
    <span>special </span>
  </em>
  <span>visitor from the Capital, twittered across the stage with a slight giggle. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Annabeth repressed an irritable groan. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Is everyone from the Capital this stupid? </span>
  </em>
  <span>She thought viciously to herself. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Or is our district just lucky? </span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>Before Drew placed her hand in the glass bowl with hundreds of names floating inside of it, she chirped, “May the odds be ever in your favor!” She plunged her hand inside the bowl and withdrew a name as many tensed in anticipation. She could practically feel the nervous tension running through the air as Drew took a deep breath. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Luke Castellan,” she called out. Annabeth’s stomach dropped. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Not him, </span>
  </em>
  <span>her mind seemed to scream. Memories flashed before her eyes as Luke headed up towards the stage, his head held high, but she could see his hands shaking as he gripped the hem of his shirt. </span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>At least it wasn’t Percy, </span>
  </em>
  <span>a traitorous whisper flew at the back of her mind. Annabeth told that part of her mind to shut up. She shouldn’t be relieved that he was picked, she couldn’t. To her, it would be like betraying all those years that she had spent with him and Thalia out on the streets. Especially when Thalia, only a year later, won the Hunger Games and was ripped from their lives forever. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The tension was released from the majority of the crowd as so many could feel relief running through them, forcing themselves not to think of the person standing up on the stage with Drew. Drew only glanced at him, but Annabeth could tell, based on the years she had spent around him, that her eyes were immediately drawn to the jagged scar that ran directly under his right eye. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Annabeth noticed Percy trying to catch her eye across the field. She desperately wanted to ignore him and be alone for a minute with her raging thoughts before she forced herself to look at him. Percy sent her a somewhat relieved, yet sympathetic, smile. </span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>It’s understandable, </span>
  </em>
  <span>she tried to control her thoughts. </span>
  <em>
    <span>He doesn’t want to die. No one does. It’s not his fault that Luke ended up going instead of another. Besides, we haven’t talked in </span>
  </em>
  <span>years. </span>
  <em>
    <span>I doubt he even thinks about me. </span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>But those thoughts were abandoned as Luke somehow caught her eye amid hundreds of girls and sent her what was supposed to be a reassuring smile but quickly morphed into a grimace. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Now for the girls.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Annabeth’s breath caught. All the emotions she was struggling to control once Luke’s name was called faded into the back of her mind as fierce anxiety overloaded all of her senses. She could feel herself tensing, praying to any god that could have ever happened to exist to </span>
  <em>
    <span>not let it be her. </span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>Drew’s hand dug into the names. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Twenty of those names are yours. </span>
  </em>
  <span>Twenty small slips of paper have the name “Annabeth Chase” typed on them in cold, callous print. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Drew took a breath, her eyes narrowing in on the name as she began to speak...</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Annabeth Chase.” A clap of silence entered Annabeth’s mind, and she froze. It was her name that was called, despite the hundreds of others in the Reaping. </span>
  <em>
    <span>No one would ever volunteer to save me either, </span>
  </em>
  <span>she thought bitterly. Cold, hard fear took Annabeth by the throat and she began to walk up to the stage. That very same fear was the one that blocked out all other thoughts, all other emotions, and just placed her in a state of numbness. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She ignored Percy as she walked up to the stage, meeting Luke’s eyes but feeling Percy’s burning into her back. She could hear some displeased muttering and see some exchange of money. She brought in all in, she could feel herself calculating and analyzing everything to avoid partaking in the emotions that raged in her head. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Annabeth could see Percy throughout the crowd of people. His distinguishable qualities now worked against her. But, she couldn’t stand seeing those panicked, tearful eyes, so she turned her gaze back to Drew. Drew, the idiot who is going to somehow help her survive this mess, who was asking for any volunteers. Of course, silence answered back, and she was glad for it. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She was worried Percy might try and replace Luke. Replace Luke to protect her from dying. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Thankfully, it seems that her best friend wasn’t stupid enough to do that and that something from their argument on the roof resonated with him. The argument on the roof… now, meaningless, thoughtless words thrown between them. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>And that would be one of the last conversations between them. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The thought almost broke Annabeth right on the stage, and that couldn’t happen. She wouldn’t allow it. So, to prevent that from happening, Annabeth studiously avoided Percy’s eyes the rest of the time she was on stage. She was sure that the action hurt him, but she prayed that he understood why she couldn’t look him in the eye. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She would not allow herself to become the sniveling, small child on stage. She would instantly lose all credibility to the people within the Capital, and, unfortunately, Annabeth recognized her position and understood that they were the only way to survive this. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Annabeth instinctually began to study Luke, remembering all the times he skillfully protected her out on the streets when they were starving. Perhaps, should she get her hands on a knife, she could slip under his guard and-</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Annabeth cleared her head of those thoughts. Guilt clouded her senses before she too shook that off. Those thoughts only bring upon unwanted distractions at a time like this. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Her first priority is pleasing the Capital. She has to establish an angle to play off of early on and build off of it, and everything that she says or does matters in the eyes of the Capital. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Her mind immediately went to Finnick O’Dare, the youngest Victor in Hunger Games history, crowned only last year, who won because of the Capital’s adoration of him. Perhaps his ability to work with nets and tridents worked well in his favor, but the Capital’s undying support of him immediately puts him on the track to win. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Annabeth needs to do the same. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Perhaps she wasn’t as attractive as Finnick, whose looks made people within the Capital practically salivate over him while the rest of the country watched in disgust as a fourteen-year-old was made into an object to lust over. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>With her unusually (and perhaps unnaturally) high IQ of 192, she could play to the angle of cold and calculating. Annabeth supposed she could add in a bit of her ‘tragic’ backstory to earn sympathy and add to the mystery of her current self. </span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Add intrigue, add mystery, earn sponsors. </span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>A mantra began to pound in her head as Drew knocked her from her fast-moving thoughts to get her to shake Luke’s hand. Caught up in her planning to stay alive, she missed the spark of disappointment and fear that flashed in Luke’s eyes before he wiped his expression blank. They were both escorted back separately from the stage and into the Hall of Justice. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Barely five minutes had passed when she entered her holding room, Percy barreled through the double doors. She forced herself to meet his eyes. </span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>This will be the last time I see him. </span>
  </em>
  <span>She swallowed roughly to force down the bile rising up her throat. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m so sorry,” Percy choked out with a sob.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It’s ok.” It came out more robotic than she had meant. Even to her, she sounded pathetic. If Percy caught unto her withdrawn tone, he didn’t comment.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It’s not. On the roof- our argument- I wasn’t thinking- I-” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Percy,” her stern voice cutting into his. He stopped talking and gazed up at her, his tears freely flowing, and the pain in his expression and voice kept forcing Annabeth’s own tears into her eyes. Annabeth moved, her actions only fueled by her fear and hugged him. He gladly returned the hug, both desperately clinging to each other to keep themselves grounded. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The two thirteen-year-olds stood in that desperate embrace for what it seemed to be only a second, each crying- panic and desperation overloading everything- before Percy pulled away. Annabeth, not even a second later, missed the safe warmth that he had brought. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You’re going to win,” Percy declared. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Percy, with his loveable stubbornness, had said something similar on the roof. </span>
  <em>
    <span>“You’re not going to get picked.” </span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>He was wrong. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Annabeth took a shuddering breath, “I’ll try.” Percy nodded his eyes, flying over to the clock behind her. She ignored it, she wanted to pretend that her remaining time with Percy would be infinite. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’ll try,” Annabeth repeated. The promise rolling off her tongue as a fire of determination was lit inside of her. “But the Capital favors the stronger tributes, and I’m not pretty. I’m going to be smaller than almost all of them, I can only wield a knife well-” All of Annabeth’s doubts rose to the surface as she began to rain them down upon Percy. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Listen, Annabeth,” he said resolutely. “You are going to win.” She began to shake her head, not wanting to give him false hope only for him to get crushed when she gets brutally murdered for entertainment. “No, listen to me,” he began to insist. “You’re insanely smart, you have to make traps for them. And you’re small, yes, but it makes it even better for you to hide or be underestimated. Remain under the radar when they rank your skills, but get the Capital’s interest,” he finished. His eyes narrowed with concentration as he locked her in place with his words.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Wow, Seaweed Brain,” she tried to laugh, but the feeble attempt only faded into the tension in the room. “When did you get so smart?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Percy sent her a small smile, “You die on the streets if you’re stupid.” His words set a domino effect in her mind, setting a plan that was in progress on stage in motion. Her tears left her and they were replaced with cold determination. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Two loud pounds shook the doors. Percy stiffened. His eyes flashed with unfiltered emotion as he turned to glance at the door. Something equivalent to rage entered his expression and left just as fluidly as he looked back at her. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You got this, Wise Girl,” he said desperately, tears shining his already glowing eyes again. “Do whatever it takes-” Loud pounds shook the doors again. “Just come back.” He hugged her again, the strength of it shocking Annabeth as she stared at the door that continued to pound. Continued to shake with the threat of Peacekeepers.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Annabeth drew back from the hug and studied Percy’s face for the possibility the last time. “I promise.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Peacekeepers pounded the door even louder. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Just one more minute,” Percy hissed out.</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>A desperate wish, </span>
  </em>
  <span>Annabeth thought to herself, </span>
  <em>
    <span>something the Capital would never allow. </span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>And, just like clockwork, Peacekeeper slammed the door open as they reached for Percy. Percy quickly turned to Annabeth again and did something that she never thought that he would do. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He kissed her. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>His warmth surrounded her again as her face heated up with unknown emotion, her thoughts silenced as tears spilled over the two’s cheeks. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>But, just as quickly the warmth surrounded Annabeth, it was ripped away. Peacekeepers grabbed Percy and began dragging him out the room away from Annabeth, he struggled against them for him to get his one extra minute with her before they were separated for the rest of their lives. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Either Annabeth would be dead, or she would be a Victor, someone who is untouchable to the ordinary citizens of the district. Untouchable to Percy. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Percy, after struggling with the Peacekeepers, grew limp in their arms as he flashed her a tired smile. “You’re my best friend, Wise Girl,” he called back to her before he was cruelly thrown from the room. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The door slammed behind the Peacekeepers, the vibrations spreading throughout the room, and Annabeth was left alone. She could hear faint struggling outside the door as Percy snapped, “I’m leaving, okay? Hands off!” </span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Seaweed Brain, </span>
  </em>
  <span>Annabeth thought fondly, </span>
  <em>
    <span>always the rebel. </span>
  </em>
  <span>Her thoughts lingered on the kiss that must have been less than a second, but, to her, she could still feel the warmth on her lips.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>A second group of Peacekeepers entered the room to escort her to the train that would drive her to the Capital. Annabeth walked toward them, taking a shaky breath before steeling herself to face her death head-on. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She swiftly wiped off her tears that remained on her face and wiped away any thoughts or the lingering warmth unexpectedly delivered by Percy Jackson, her best friend.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The Hunger Games had begun. </span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Chapter 3</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>The beginning of the true Hunger Games.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Annabeth stumbled out of the Hall of Justice building only to be met with a face full of cameras and silent citizens of District 5. She gave herself five seconds to think of Percy and the entire world she was going to leave behind before she stepped out onto the street on the path to the train. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The train to the Capital was a luxury that people would never have to experience if they were lucky. Of course, Annabeth was anything but lucky. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She met the cameras with an impassive, slightly cool, glance before heading off to the train. She knew that Luke only had his mother, someone who he had run away from when he was nine. So they both had no family for them to wave goodbye to when the train sped away from the color deprived District 5. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Annabeth entered the train with ease, showing the cameras that she was prepared to face her death head-on. She needed to show them that </span>
  <em>
    <span>she wasn’t afraid. </span>
  </em>
  <span>That was a cold-hearted lie, obviously. She was sure that anyone who studied the footage from the Reaping could see the terror present on her face. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Luke entered the train slowly behind her. Tears were shining brightly against his face as he took a long glance back towards the train station before entering. Annabeth narrowed her eyes in suspicion. </span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>What’s his play?</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>Everyone has an angle, she supposed. Everyone wanted to stay alive, go back home. While no one was prepared to kill, especially as a child, most were prepared to do whatever it took to stay alive. Sucking up the Capital? Fine. Determining the life and death of people who they may or may not know? They’ll make do. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>It was clear that morals get thrown out the window when it comes to this. At least, for Annabeth they do. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well, well, well.” Thalia’s dry chuckle rang through her ears. “Looks like the gang’s back together again.” Annabeth couldn’t help but stare at Thalia, who looked so different four years ago. Instead of a hunger pang frame that was a signature of children who ran off the streets, she appeared well-fed. Her hair was cut ruggedly short while her ears were pierced, something that she only saw people from the Capital and Victors do. </span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>What do you expect? </span>
  </em>
  <span>That bitter voice from the back of her head echoed. </span>
  <em>
    <span>She’s one of </span>
  </em>
  <span>them </span>
  <em>
    <span>now and has been for four years. </span>
  </em>
  <span>Annabeth heeded the voice’s cynical warning. You can’t trust anyone in these Games, and Annabeth had no idea on how much Thalia’s changed. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Thalia had always been closer to Luke than Annabeth, but, since she was five and ran away from her family, she had always considered the older girl to be her sister. She had always admired Thalia, the way she would boldly strike down anyone in her path before she realized how cutthroat that trait could be. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>And Annabeth was going to have to be just like her if she wanted to survive. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Not exactly the warming reunion I was hoping for,” she heard Luke respond after a beat of silence. Annabeth continued to stay silent during the exchange as she preferred to watch their mannerisms. Anything and everything was important when it was life and death. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>An awkward silence settled on the group once again. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Chris Rodriguez, the male mentor, cleared his throat awkwardly. “So,” he began slowly, “you guys know each other?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Thalia snorted, finally looking away from Annabeth and Luke. “Know them? These two were like my family before I entered the games.” An unspoken sadness rang through the air. </span>
  <em>
    <span>And only one of them has a chance of coming out alive. </span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>The heavy awkwardness returned. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Annabeth quickly realized that no one else was going to pick up the conversation. Behind Chris, she spotted a table full of food. Her stomach growled at the mere thought. “I think it’s a great time for food,” she suggested, eyeing the table. It was a ridiculous amount for just four people. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Chris quickly jumped at the chance for a distraction, and he looked nervous as Thalia and Luke kept staring each other down. “Right,” he clapped his hands together to get the other two’s attention, “food.” He swiftly sat down at the table with Luke on his right. Annabeth and Thalia sat next to each other on the opposite side of the table. Thalia and Luke continued to stare at each other while years of pain flowed between them. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Annabeth was only nine when Thalia was Reaped for the 63rd Hunger Games. Thalia herself was sixteen at the time while Luke was fourteen. And, from that point on, Luke was never really the same. He was always angry, getting into fights that didn’t need to happen. He gambled away food and wallowed in his grief so fiercely that he didn’t even realize that he was scaring Annabeth away. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>It was like all that mattered was Thalia, and Annabeth’s fear and grief were irrelevant. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Annabeth, when she was younger, never really understood the relationship between the two. She was only five when they picked her off the streets after she ran away from her family when her father married her stepmother and just accepted the way things were. Now, however, as they all sit tensely in the Capital train, Annabeth began to realize that there was something else much deeper there. Something that caused Luke to fall apart once Thalia left and never truly came back.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>In certain districts of Panem, there is a law put in place to sperate the Victors from the rest of the people within the districts, excluding their families and maybe highly esteemed government officials. It was a law placed to “prevent additional uprising and to protect the health and wellbeing of our esteemed Hunger Games Victors”, as said by the ever so esteemed President Snow. It was passed in most of the career districts (excluding District 4), who have enough living Victors to form an entire community. It was also placed in District 5, which had a small uprising of factory workings who killed two Victors as a way to get to the Capital. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>So, when Thalia came home from her Hunger Games, she was swiftly moved over to Victors Village with the last remaining family that the Capital could scrape up. And it wasn’t Luke or Annabeth. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>That day when Thalia came home was the day that truly broke Luke. She was so close, so near, but he could never talk to her again because of the Capital’s jealous possession of their Victors. To Annabeth, it just showed how cruel the Capital continues to be. It’s not enough that they force twenty-four children to fight to the death for their sick entertainment, but they have to ruin the lives of every single teenager that walks out of that arena alive. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>That day when Thalia came back to District 5 was the day that their little family truly fell apart. It was the day that Annabeth left Luke, not that Thalia would ever know that. She got to enjoy life with her perfect brother, Jason Grace, who got everything that Annabeth could ever possibly want. Security, a family who loved her, respect… the list could continue on. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>All she had when Thalia returned home was a broken family of outcasts and a biological father that doesn’t even want her. While Thalia and her brother and mother got to reap the rewards of the Capital’s twisted game, Annabeth’s life was torn to shreds. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Annabeth really didn’t want to blame Thalia, who got to live a life of peace and luxury, or Jason, who now has a place in Thalia’s heart that she used to have, or Luke, who abandoned her when she was hurt and alone. She knew that she really should blame to Capital for their crimes against the districts, for their crimes against humanity. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She was shaken from her thoughts as a bowl of soup was placed in front of her. Annabeth tried to throw a questioning look Luke’s way, but he ignored her as he fiddled with the rich and expensive food before him. The feeling of hurt sparked within her before she stuffed the feeling deep, deep down within her.</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>What do you expect? </span>
  </em>
  <span>She bitterly scolded herself. </span>
  <em>
    <span>He’s not going to suddenly talk to you after four years just because you’re sitting on a fancy train with fancy foods. </span>
  </em>
  <span>Besides, why talk or think about Annabeth when Thalia, the person that he desperately wished was always by his side, was right in front of him?</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Annabeth scowled at her bowl of soup. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What did that soup ever do to you?” Thalia attempted to tease, catching the dark expression on her face. Annabeth’s expression only darkened. </span>
  <em>
    <span>How dare you waltz back into my life like nothing has ever happened, </span>
  </em>
  <span>she raged inside her head. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Annabeth will admit that she was glad to have Thalia back, but for her to pretend that everything was as it once was… it would be like ignoring all those years they spent apart. All those years of suffering through her stepmother’s rage-induced stupors, starving because her father decided that he would rather see his daughter die than be reminded of her mother. To just ignore that as Luke deliberately turned a blind eye as she struggled to survive because he was too busy pitying himself to pay attention to the small girl by his side. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>They both do not get to walk back into Annabeth’s life and complicate things more. </span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Besides, </span>
  </em>
  <span>she tried to calm herself, </span>
  <em>
    <span>you have Percy now. You don’t need them, you have Percy. </span>
  </em>
  <span>Percy, someone who was always there, especially when those two weren’t. When she had met Percy, she was eight, and he was trying to steal the small amount of grain in her pocket. It was some of Luke’s tesserae, and it was something symbolic to Annabeth. It showed that he cared for her, that Luke was prepared to sign up for extra tesserae - to deliberately place more slips into the Reaping with his name on it - to keep Annabeth well fed. She didn’t really know that it was a newly orphaned boy who hadn’t had anything to eat in nearly a week getting desperate to work up the nerves and steal something. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She didn’t know that, so she almost yelled out for Luke. And Luke, being the kind and caring person that he used to be, would have chased Percy down to give them back the little bag of grain.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>But she didn’t do that, and Annabeth still didn’t know why. All she did was freeze when she saw him, and he sent her a slight grin in return. That small grin told her thank you before he disappeared into the crowd, but she was sure she would see him again. And she did.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Alright,” Chris said, shaking her from her memories once more. “I’m going to be Luke’s mentor and Thalia will be Annabeth’s. But, because you two know each other,” he glanced at Thalia’s now hardened face, “you guys do have an option to prepare for the Games together-” Annabeth’s immediate reaction is </span>
  <em>
    <span>no. </span>
  </em>
  <span>“- or you can prepare separately.” He looked between Luke and Annabeth.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Separately,” Annabeth immediately stated. Everyone stared at her. She tried to ignore Thalia’s surprise and Chris’s sympathetic state. She desperately tried to ignore Luke’s apparent hurt that he wore on his face. She cleared her throat as it grew increasingly more uncomfortable the longer their unwanted attention was on her. “Please.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Thalia blinked in shock before she began to speak. “Okay, I’ll start talking to you about all this stuff after you finish eating.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Stealing one more glance at Luke, she decided that she wasn’t really hungry anymore. “We can go now,” she suggested. Thalia glanced between Luke and Annabeth like she was trying to solve a puzzle that she doesn’t have all the pieces to. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Which she doesn’t, </span>
  </em>
  <span>Annabeth mused to herself. </span>
  <em>
    <span>I guess she really doesn’t know about anything that happened. </span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>“Alright,” Thalia nodded to herself before standing up. She exchanged another long look with Luke, something that Annabeth did not miss before she gestured for Annabeth to follow her into the next room. She dutifully followed. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“So,” Thalia began as soon as Annabeth closed the door behind her, “what’s the deal between you and Luke?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“A lot of stuff,” she answered. Her words were clipped and tense. She was supposed to be talking about how to survive something that no thirteen-year-old had ever managed to live through, but instead she was talking about drama that happened four years ago. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Annabeth.” Thalia leveled her with her electric stare, her bright blue eyes pinning her in place.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Thalia.” Annabeth held her stare, and she saw a flicker of surprise run through Thalia’s expression. “I’m not nine anymore, I’m thirteen,” she snapped, unable to deal with the clear resignation in Thalia’s eyes when she looks at Annabeth compared to the dull hope that shows when she stares at Luke. Neither of them believes that she can win this. “I’m about to go into the Hunger Games where the youngest ever survivor is fourteen. Can we </span>
  <em>
    <span>please </span>
  </em>
  <span>talk about how I’m going to get through this alive?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Thalia gaped for only a millisecond before hardening her expression. To Annabeth, her thought process was clear. </span>
  <em>
    <span>This is not the same Annabeth that I left. </span>
  </em>
  <span>And she would be right to think that. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Okay,” Thalia paused to gather her thoughts. “Okay. Are you good with any weapon?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yes,” Annabeth nodded. “I’m good with a knife.” Shock filled Thalia’s face again. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <em>
    <span>Really?”</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>Annabeth glared at Thalia, already fed up with her thinking that she was the same nine-year-old girl that she had left. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Thalia shook her head to rid the surprise from her expression. “We can work with that. Do you think there’s any unique characteristic that separates you from the others?” Thalia continued her interrogation.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I have an IQ of 192,” Annabeth stated like she was reading off of a sheet of paper. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>This time, no shock or surprise-filled Thalia’s face as she sat on the bed to study Annabeth. “I didn’t realize that you took the test,” she said carefully. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Annabeth shrugged. “I went back to my father after you left, got a job with the other twelve-year-olds,” Annabeth shrugged again as if it were common knowledge. To her, it was. “A lot of things changed when you left.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Thalia nodded. She looked Annabeth up and down, assessing her to try to see her as the citizens of the Capital would. “Knife… ridiculously smart… small…” she trailed off, thinking to herself. She nodded again. “We can work with that,” she said with a confident smile. “I’m assuming you have an idea already?” She asked her with a slightly amused expression.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yes,” Annabeth confirmed. “I was thinking that-” she was cut off from her explanation as a sharp </span>
  <em>
    <span>ping </span>
  </em>
  <span>flooded from the speakers around the train. She looked around in confusion, but there were no windows to determine where they were. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Come on,” Thalia said, standing up and making her way to the doorway. “We’re at the Capital.”</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. Chapter 4</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Annabeth walked out of the bedroom with Thalia on her heels, and she couldn’t help but stagger back in surprise when she saw what lay outside the window. Despite having seen the Capital televised for years, Annabeth stood in shock as the colorful and bright city whisked past her as she was driven to the direct center. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>It took her about ten seconds to get over her shock as continuous glittering buildings rushed past her with excited Capital citizens rushing out to wave at the tributes. After those ten seconds, all she could feel was the rising pressure of anger from the back of her throat. They had no right making their city so beautiful, overflowing with power and riches beyond imaginable off the backs of people who were starving and dying. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Annabeth could feel her face flushing as the anger continued to rise but she forced it back. She forced herself to remain calm and calculated, and she moved to ignore the people jumping up and down to get her attention. In the corner of her eye, she could see Luke propped up on the couch and a waving at the people Annabeth was trying so hard to avoid. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Thalia cleared her throat beside her. “You know you’re going to need to get sponsors, right?” Annabeth turned to look at her again. </span>
  <em>
    <span>I’m not a child anymore. </span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I know,” was all she said. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Of course </span>
  </em>
  <span>Annabeth knew that she needed sponsors. But sucking up to them was not a part of her plan. Her mind rushed towards all the different Hunger Games she had seen throughout her lifetime. How many appearances did the Victors make before they entered the arena?</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She furiously began attempting to figure out the problem that had been presented to her, trying to remember if the tribute’s age, appearance, or district were factors in the number of times they were placed on the screen. One screw up in front of a camera could ruin her chances. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Annabeth could feel frustration continuously bubbling up in the back of her mind, subconsciously noting Thalia and Luke continuing the exchange glances, the chaos of the city outside of the train, and just the overall unfamiliarity of her settings. Everything became too much in her mind and each little detail further drowned her a sea of frustration and fear. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She cleared her throat to get Thalia’s attention again. “How long is it until we get off the train?” Annabeth asked. She continued to only look at Thalia and never once acknowledge Luke. However, despite her best attempts, she could see him wince at her cold mannerisms. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Good, </span>
  </em>
  <span>she thought grimly to herself. He was the person to abandon her, and she wasn’t going to be the person to ever extend the hand of friendship first. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“We should be there in about five minutes,” Thalia answered. The thirteen-year-old nodded in response before she walked away from both Thalia and Luke. She headed toward Chris Rodriguez, who she could tell looked noticeably unnerved by the rising tension in the room. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Annabeth could only barely remember any details of his games where she had every terrifying second of Thalia’s seared into her mind. She could tell that Thalia was going to try her best to keep both of them alive for what Annabeth would guess to be nostalgia. But she couldn’t trust that Thalia wouldn’t be biased towards Luke when the killings begin. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>So Annabeth had to prepare to counter that, and she had to counter it through Christopher Rodriguez.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Annabeth was five or six when Chris had been reaped for the 59th annual Hunger Games, and all she could remember was the final fight between four of the remaining tributes. She could only helplessly stare at the screen as she witnessed three people being brutally murdered for the sake of only one surviving. All she could tell is that he was relatively good with a spear, a skill that most were confused about how quickly he picked up on especially considering that District Five rarely ever used weapons to complete their jobs. Along with District 12 and District 8, they were notorious for becoming very underprepared for a battle to the death.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Annabeth hoped to change that. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>In her mind’s eye, she could see the small brawls that she and Percy had gotten themselves into. Percy, being the stupid Seaweed Brain that he was, was very quick to become enemies with any other pickpocket or thief in the area, which resulted in a lot of Annabeth coming in to save his sorry butt. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Shaking her head to clear her mind of any thoughts related to the endearingly stupid street rat, she slowly approached the older Mentor and Victor. Despite the idea that the male Mentor was to teach the male Tribute, Annabeth thought Luke would be covered either way. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Hello,” she said as she lowered her hand to shake. Chris eyed her warily, most likely calculating how much of a chance she has, before reciprocating her handshake with a hesitant smile. </span>
  <em>
    <span>He was rather nervous for a Victor</span>
  </em>
  <span>, she noted rather ironically. Throughout the districts, or at least in the slums of District 5, Victors were considered to be the most arrogant and self-assured people found outside of the Capital. Of course, this is only a stereotype that the Capital enjoys playing up through the multiple interviews throughout the year, complimentary trips to the Capital, and all the wealth anyone could ever need. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Hey,” he replied nonchalantly. “What do you need help with?” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Annabeth’s whirling mind stalled for a moment. </span>
  <em>
    <span>What did she need help with? </span>
  </em>
  <span>Well, she knew what she needed help with, but putting the need to words would pose a different challenge. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Uh,” she wracked her brain to figure out how to get Chris to help her. “I was just wondering if you had any tips for surviving the week in the Capital.” That’s what Annabeth heard herself say. Even to her, it sounded like a laughable excuse. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Chris’s eyebrows shot up in surprise before glancing at Thalia, who was still entertaining the angsty glancing between herself and the other tribute. Seemingly realizing that he wasn’t going to be getting any help, he sighed in defeat. “To be completely honest,” he began, “I was never the Capital’s favorite during the Games.” That was not what Annabeth had expected at all.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Even to Annabeth’s thirteen-year-old perspective, Chris was a reasonably attractive person, and in the Hunger Games, attractiveness gives you attention from fans and possible sponsorships. Annabeth took a half-step back to observe Chris.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Yes, he was attractive, but his fidgeting and his nervous glances threw any person through the loop. Perhaps the lack of awe-inspiring confidence was what made the Capital act so coldly to the Victor. But, Annabeth conceded, she’d never truly know because she barely remembered anything from his Games and she wasn’t about to ask for the tragic backstory. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You’d probably do much better asking Thalia,” Chris suggested. Annabeth’s forced neutral expression darkened, even though she fought viscously to prevent any visible displeasure show. Her reaction caused Chris to raise a questioning eyebrow. “You know,” he hesitated before continuing. “You can tell me what’s bothering you, you don’t have to go to Thalia for everything.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Annabeth nodded but didn’t say anything. If she wasn’t going to say anything to the person who spent four years of her life with, she wasn’t about to spill her guts to a random stranger. And she could see the brief flash of relief in his eyes at the lack of any reaction. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>A sharp ping sounded throughout the train and the train eventually slowed to a stop. Annabeth was glad to awkward confrontation was over, and she could only pray that the conversation at least garnered some sympathy from Victor. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>You’re just playing up for pity points, </span>
  </em>
  <span>a voice hissed in the back of her mind. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Pathetic. </span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>I’m doing what it takes to </span>
  </em>
  <span>survive, she shot back, </span>
  <em>
    <span>and I’m willing to do anything to go back home to Percy. </span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Her thoughts rang with truth but guilt instantly followed them. Even if she won, how could Annabeth look back on the optimistic and cheerful face of Percy Jackson? He would have witnessed the darkest point in her life, the time where she had killed multiple people. No way would he let her back into his life. He’s too pure for the world that they have been born in, and Annabeth doesn’t want to be the one who watches that purity wash away.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <strong>
    <span>. . .</span>
  </strong>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Percy was far from pure, having seen too much death at a young age and going toe to toe with the local authorities nearly every day had forced him to develop a world-weary edge. He hated that edge, the type that pronounced what he has been through and defined him only to be a misfortuned street rat struggling to survive. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Percy hated that he wasn’t the kind of person that Annabeth thought he was. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He walked throughout the bustling streets of District 5 on his way to the factories. He eyed certain colored clothing before banishing the thought of attempting to go against the Peacekeepers today. After his small scuffle with the officers outside of Annabeth’s meeting room, his face was still too fresh in the Peacekeepers’ minds for him to be remotely comfortable with breaking the law. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>That small scuffle earned him a black eye and a split lip, and Percy could only be thankful that it wasn’t worse. Everyone knows you don’t go up against Peacekeepers, yet Percy, full of anger and fear, had done just that. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>However, his plan for avoiding trouble seemed to be short-lived. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Percy was walking among the gray clothed crowd when he was suddenly grabbed from behind. His mind whirled, trying to get a grasp on who was behind him. He had made enough enemies for him to be severely outnumbered. Swallowing roughly, he allowed himself to be pulled from the hustling crowd. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>No one wanted the Peacekeepers to see this confrontation. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The back of his shirt was grabbed as he was led away to ensure that he wouldn’t run. Not that he would do that anyway. Thankfully, Percy appeared to be heading toward a narrow alley. The close quarters would force the fighting to be upfront and personal and prevent a couple of others from jumping in too much. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Percy was shoved from behind. The amount of force behind the push surprised him and he fell to the concrete fall. His hands took the brunt of the force and Percy let out a small hiss of pain before he scrambled up. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Stay on your feet. Don’t fall. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>That mantra ran through his head and he turned to face his attackers for the first time. Percy couldn’t believe what he was seeing and he couldn’t help but let out a groan of annoyance. These guys again?</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Listen,” he began with a placating hand in the air, “if this is about breaking Connor’s arm, I’ll just have you know that he was asking for it.” Out of all the people to mess with him today, he really didn’t want it to be them. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Spare me the bullshit, Jackson,” Travis Stoll growled. His hand slipped into his pocket, and Percy knew from personal experience that that was where he kept his blade. Travis was surrounded by three of the worst people Percy ever had the displeasure of meeting. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“What do you want?” Percy sighed. It was too much with Annabeth gone and all the fight drained out of him as he nonchalantly leaned against the wall. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Travis didn’t move or say anything, but Percy could see that his expression softened for a second. “If it helps, I really am sorry about Annabeth,” he said, sounding sympathetic. Percy gave a noncommittal scoff. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Annabeth had kicked Travis’s ass way too many times for him to be sorry that she was gone. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I’ll ask again,” Percy started, stealing his voice with the dangerous edge that he hated. “What do you want from me?” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Well,” Travis said, pulling out a gleaming silver switchblade from his pocket. Percy honestly had no idea how he got the thing, seeing as having any weapons was punishable by death. Not that Percy didn’t have his weapon of course. “Now that your girlfriend--” Percy growled at the insinuation. “--is gone, we can finally put you in your place.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Very intimating,” Percy sarcastically muttered.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Michael Yew scoffed from behind Travis. “You’re a bit too outnumbered to make sarcastic comments.” Percy wanted to retort with something snarky but bit his tongue to keep him from getting skewered. Michael was one of the shortest people he has ever met, but his asshole-ish personality made up for the lack of height. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Next to Michael, a boy named Sherman cackled. The sound grated on Percy’s nerves and he never wished he could punch someone more. Sherman--Percy never got his last name--was one of those people that clearly believed brawn over brains and acted like it too. He had ridiculously broad shoulders and easily towered a foot over Percy. It was almost comical to see the shortest person he had ever met standing right next to one of the tallest. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Usually, Travis traveled with Connor, his younger brother, but after a recent… </span>
  <em>
    <span>incident</span>
  </em>
  <span>, Connor was forced to stay home due to a broken arm. In Percy’s defense, Connor did try to attack him first (of course, that was after Percy had stolen ten dollars from him and provoked him into a fight). So, to replace him, they managed to convince Nancy Bobofit to join in attacking him instead. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Percy had known and hated Nancy even longer than he had known Annabeth. Ever since they had met in their first-grade classroom, their rivalry never stopped, even after Percy had continued to pick up increasingly more enemies besides just her. She had a nasty habit of trying to get him in trouble with Peacekeepers which Percy thought was rather unfair. But it looks like she’s not going for the subtle stab in the back that she usually tries. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Hey, Bobofit!” She glared at him even more. “Long time no see, am I right?” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Wished it was longer,” she snarled. Her neon orange hair was getting more and more annoying the longer he looked at it. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He glanced at his customary gray watch, he had five minutes to get to the factories. “Listen, guys,” he attempted to negotiate, “I have to go so yeah, I’ll be leaving now.” Percy could barely make it two steps before Nancy lunged at him. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>And then there was chaos. </span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Thanks again for leaving a kudos, comment, and/or bookmark!</p>
        </blockquote><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>I kinda just want to see the reception this ends up getting. Also posted on FF.net under the same username. This fic spans through before the first book until after the end of the last book, so this'll be fun. I'm working on another fic at the moment, so I'm kinda just going back and forth and updating is going to be super inconsistent. </p><p>If you guys could leave a kudos, comment, or a bookmark, that would be awesome! Thanks for reading!</p></blockquote></div></div>
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